Chapter 10: Shadows
Bella's P.O.V.
We were in the car again, with my older brothers heading to a new case in Chicago. We caught wind of a woman killed in her home with no signs of forced entry. Windows and door were still locked and the alarm system was still on. I was sitting in the back seat again on my laptop searching for any further information but the mysterious death. Then I came across another similar death a couple weeks prior to this one.
"Guys, there was another death a couple weeks ago. Same thing, windows and doors locked, alarm system still on, no signs of forced entry." I said. "God, did they belong to the same company?" Sam asked. I looked back at the two articles and found that they did. "Yep, um Philips Security." I said. "Good, we have a way in." Dean said. "I'll get the uniforms." Sam said. "Wow, wait, what do you mean uniforms?" Dean asked. "You'll have to find out." Sam said.
When we got into the hotel room we rented, Sam left. "Should I be worried?" Dean asked from the table. "I'm thinking yes. You know every time we disguise ourselves Sammy wants it to look real." I said. "Yeah, well that's Sam for you." he said. Dean went to the small fridge and grabbed a beer and a soda. He handed me the soda and I turned on the TV. Within the hour Sam came back with three jumpsuits.
"No way man, not gonna happen." Dean said when Sam showed them to us. "You don't want to wind up in custody again do you?" Sam asked. "No, fine. But afterwards we are going to a bar." Dean said. Sam through two of the suits at us and they were the right sizes.
"I so don't want to know how you knew our sizes Sammy." I said walking into the bathroom. I was able to get it over my clothes. Before I stepped out I called through the door. "Are you guys dressed?" I asked. "Yeah!" I hear Sam call back. I exited the bathroom relieved that I wasn't the only one that looked goofy.
"Sammy, how are they going to buy this? I mean come on we look ridiculous." I said. "I agree with Izzy on this one." Dean said. "Whatever, after we check out the girl's apartment we can get rid of these and head to any bar." Sammy said. "Fine, but you, my brother are buying." Dean said. Sam sighed as we climbed into the car.
It took us about fifteen minutes to get to the apartment building. I got out first and stretched my legs. Don't get me wrong, I love the Impala but the back seat has horrible leg room. My brothers joined me on the street shortly after I got out. Without further word we went upstairs.
Dean's P.O.V.
The landlady let us in without any questions except a few complaints. "You guys need some serious help with the systems you're selling." she said. "That's why we are here ma'am. To see what went wrong." Sam said. "In order to do our job though, you need to leave." Izzy said. As soon as the landlady left we got out the EMF's. I looked around the room until my eyes fell on the blood splattered carpet.
"Did we happen to bring duct tape?" I asked. "Yeah, why?" Iz asked. "Just give it here." I said. A few seconds later Izzy tossed me a roll of black duct tape. I started to connect the different spots of blood. Once I was done I stood up and looked at the strange symbol the splatter made.
"What the hell?" Sam asked. "I don't know." I said. Izzy whipped out her phone and took a picture. I gave her a questioning stare. "You want to find out what the hell it is right?" she asked. "Fair enough." I said.
By the time we left we did a sweep with the EMF and got nothing. So we told the landlady that we were done after we took the tape off of the floor and headed back to the car. We all climbed in and I glanced back to see my sister taking off the jumpsuit.
"Shit, warn us next time Bells." I said facing the road in front of me. "Relax, De. I have clothes on underneath." she said. "Underwear doesn't count." I retorted back. "God, I'm not stupid. I have jeans and a t-shirt on." Izzy said. "Good, we still need to get back to the hotel so we can change Miss Smarty Pants." I said. "Dick," she said. "Slut," I said. "Shut up and drive Dean." Sam said.
I then drove back to the motel so that Sam and I could get out of these monkey suits. Izzy waited by the car with her laptop as we got dressed. Once I was comfortable in my own clothes again we headed to the closet bar we could find.
Sam's P.O.V.
At the bar I sat between my siblings drinking a beer and doing some research when I looked up and saw a familiar blonde. I got up and went over to much protest from both Dean and Bella. I walked over to the blonde and tapped her on the shoulder. I was happy to see that it was Meg.
"Sam! It's good to see you." Meg exclaimed hugging me. "It's good to see you too, Meg. I thought you were in California." I said. I saw Izzy and Dean standing next to me. "Yeah, well Cali was full of shady people. So what have you been up to since the truck stop in Indiana?" Meg asked. "This and that. Meg, this is my older brother Dean and my sister Bella." I said. Meg looked at Dean disgusted and then looked at Bella with a small smile.
"So this is the famous Meg, it's good to finally meet you." Izzy said. "Same here. Now Dean, on the other hand, not really how I pictured the jackass." Meg said. Dean gave her the famous death glare. All I could do was muster up was an apologetic smile.
"You complained about me? And to her of all people?" Dean asked loudly. "That was before I had to come and rescue you guys." I said. "Sure, that makes it all better!" he yelled. "Wow guys, let's remember that no matter what we are still family. I mean come on, you're arguing about something that happened months ago." Izzy said standing in the middle. "She's right man, just go get her number and meet us back in the car." Dean said. Izzy and I walked back to the table grabbed our stuff and I turned back to Meg.
"I see that you need to get going, so here's my number. See ya Sam." Meg said handing me a napkin with her number on it. I said thanks and went to the Impala. I had to sit in back but they didn't pull away.
"What's going on guys?" I asked. "Don't you find it odd that she's here in Chicago Sammy?" Dean asked. "Yeah, but people travel. Look at us, we've been traveling across the country for almost 18 years." I said. "That's not what he means Sam. Before you left to go talk to her I found out something connecting the two victims." Izzy said. "What's the connection?" I asked. "They're from Lawrence." she said. "So you think that she's behind this?" I asked. "Yes, can you follow her for a while, while we check out something?" Izzy asked. "I can do that I guess. However I want to drive the car." I said. "N…" started Dean as Izzy punched him. "Fine, do not scratch her." he said. Izzy got out and put her head in the car.
"Come one Dean, we can walk back to the hotel from here." she said. Dean mumbled something but got out and started walking back to the hotel. I moved from the backseat to the drivers and waited for Meg to come out. When she did I followed her to her apartment where I watched and waited for her to come out. When she did I followed her to an abandoned warehouse.
Once she went in I got out of the Impala and went in. I found that I had to climb an empty old elevator shaft to the glowing fourth floor. It took a while but when I got there I watched as Meg was working some sort of witch craft. I watched and waited until she left and I emerged from my hiding place.
I went up to the altar to figure out what we were dealing with. On the table was the same symbol that the blood made back at the girl's apartment. I went back down the shaft and climbed into the Impala. I drove back to the motel and ran into the room.
Bella's P.O.V.
I was on my laptop when Sam came bursting in. "What's up Sammy?" Dean asks from the bed. "You guys were right, it is Meg. I followed her to a warehouse and found an altar with that same symbol we found." Sam said. "That's prefect, that means that Meg has control of them." I said. "Control of what?" Sam asked. "Shadow demons." I said.
Sam collapsed on the bed with a look that said 'Oh shit,' "What's the plan than?" he asked. "Well now that we know, we have to destroy the altar and Meg. It has to be tonight." Dean said. Sam and I nodded as we got up and got ready. Five minutes later we were on the way with Sam giving us directions to the warehouse.
When we got there we got a bag ready and went inside. "We have to climb this shaft." Sam said. Sam and Dean stared up it, nobody willing to go up. "Get out of the way." I said moving toward the empty elevator. I started climbing it and about a minute later I was sitting there waiting for my brothers. Once we were all up there I got on the floor and pulled in the bag and the helped my brothers up.
When we were safely on the floor each of us grabbed a sawed off and eyed Meg at the altar. We went around back, Dean signaled forward but we stopped when Meg turned around.
"Did you Winchester's think that you could get the drop on me?" Meg asked. Just then the shadows demons attacked. I blacked out about five minutes into the fight with them. When I came to my arms were tied above me and memories of Roswell flashed in my mind. I looked around ignoring the burning in my wrists. I was about three feet off the ground and I saw my brothers tied to posts. My breathing became labored and my heart was pounding in my ears.
Meg stepped into my line of sight; she had a wicked looking knife in her left hand. My panic rose and my head began to pound. "Get away from her, you bitch!" I hear a faraway voice yell. I saw Meg smile as she slid the knife across my bare stomach. I let out a scream before I looked up and saw Meg turn and head to Sam.
It happened so fast Sam got out as I started to feel the blood seep into my jeans. Dean got out and ran to me as Sam pushed Meg out the window. "Little help here, Sam!" Dean called. "Dean, she's having a panic attack! We need to get her down now!" Sam said. I could barely hear them over the sound of my heart. Before I knew it I was down and on the floor.
I didn't know who was holding, but I heard a rough voice telling me to match his breathing. Not long after that the pounding of my heart lessoned and I noticed I was sitting on Dean's lap, my head buried in his chest.
"Izzy, you okay now?" he asked. "Y…yeah, I think so." I said weakly. "Okay, let's get back to the hotel and get patched up." I hear Sam say. That's when I felt his hand on my back rubbing in a circle right above my second tattoo that he's never seen. That one was a memorial to mom, a little angel with his wings spread out with a young woman walking towards him.
I felt strong arms lift me up and I was swaying. I clutched my stomach as the pain came back. Sam put his arm around me as we headed back to the Impala. Sam sat in back checking the cut Meg made. Tears started to fall when he touched it.
"I really hate your girlfriend, Sam." I laughed slightly while saying it. "Iz… never mind. All you need is stitches, thankfully it's not super deep." he said as he continued to put pressure over the wound. "Great, more stitches." I mumbled. "What? Are you scared of nettles now, after how many tattoos and piercings you have?" Sam asked. "Ha ha, you know what I mean." I said.
We made it back to the motel and I kept a hand on the towel that was over the cut, which was right below my belly button. We walked into the room to see a dark figure by the window. Dean and I pulled our guns on him as Sam flipped on the lights. The guy turned around and we saw our dad, for the first time in months.
Dean's P.O.V.
I can't believe that our dad was standing in our motel room. Izzy moved past me dropping the towel that was stopping the bleeding of the cut on her stomach and tackled Dad.
"Hey sweetheart." Dad said hugging back. "Bells, your stomach." I reminded her. She let go and picked up the discarded towel and placed it back over the cut. I moved in to hug Dad and he hugged me back as well. I let go and Dad and Sam faced off. I stood next to Izzy and went to get started on stitching her.
"Last time we saw each other we had one hell of a fight." Dad said. "Yes sir," Sam said. They continued talking while I finished up stitching Izzy. "When did you get here?" Izzy asked. "I got here a few hours ago." he said. "Sorry dad, I didn't know that it would be a trap." I said. "I figured it was. It knows that I'm on to it. I got there in time to see the girl take the swan dive- she was the bad guy right?" he asked. "Yes sir." we said in unison. "So what took you guys so long to get here?" he asked.
"Izzy had a panic attack. The girl chained her by her wrists, suspending her from the ceiling." Sam said. "Memories from Roswell flashed through my mind, and I couldn't make them stop." she whispered. Just then Dad was pulled back against the wall and Sam, Bella and I were slapped into the same general area.
Sam reached into a duffel bag and put the room in a blaze of light. I helped Izzy outside as Sam got Dad out. As we stood there between the cars I accessed our new wounds. Sam's check was scratched, Izzy's arms and forehead were scratched but Dad was worse off. That's when I had a crazy thought, just as Sam spoke up.
"Come with us Dad, we're stronger together." Sam pleaded. "He can't Sam." I said. "What?" Sam and Izzy said. "We're his weakness, and they know it. You saw the shadow demons; they attacked when our guards were down. Dad, we have to split up again." I said. "On one condition," Izzy said. "What's that sweetheart?" Dad asked. "Answer your damn phone." she said. Dad chuckled and pulled her into a hug.
We watched as Dad climbed into his truck and drove off. The three of us got into the Impala and headed in the opposite direction to God knows what kind of job we do next.